FSU RB Dalvin Cook suspended after allegedly punching woman

Florida State running back Dalvin Cook will be served with an arrest warrant after being accused of punching a woman in the face outside a bar in June, ESPN's Mark Schlabach reports.

Later Friday, FSU announced that Cook has been indefinitely suspended from the football team.

Florida state attorney Willie Meggs told ESPN that Cook will face a misdemeanor battery charge. A conviction could result in a year in jail and up to a $1,000 fine, according to Sports Illustrated's Michael McCann.

The Tallahassee Democratreported earlier that Cook, a 19-year-old sophomore who rushed for 1,008 yards as a freshman, was under investigation for the battery of a 21-year-old woman on June 23.

The alleged victim does not attend Florida State, according to ESPN. She told ESPN that a man—not Cook—asked for her phone number, but she declined, saying that she had a boyfriend and wasn't interested. She alleged that a confrontation grew heated, with Cook eventually punching her in the face several times.

​​"They kept telling me they were football players," the woman told ESPN. "They kept telling me to Google them. They told me they were football players and they could buy me in two years."

The alleged victim told police she plans to press criminal charges against Cook, according to ESPN.

A partially redacted police report revealed the victim was intoxicated and had suffered “minor abrasion/bruises” from the incident at Clydes and Costello's, a bar just off the Florida State campus, according to The Tallahassee Democrat. The report did not list a suspect, but according toThe Tallahassee Democrat, the victim was able to identify one out of a lineup.

The incident occurred the day prior to an incident that led to former Florida State quarterback DeAndre Johnson being charged with misdemeanor battery after allegedly punching a woman in the face at a Tallahassee nightclub. The Democrat published video of the incident Monday, and Johnson was dismissed from the Seminoles program shortly after.

Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher released a statement later on Friday, saying the team “will do better. I will not tolerate anything less.”

“Recent events at Florida State University involving members of my football team have brought a lot of attention to the school and program. It is important to me that our fans and public be aware that I do not tolerate the type of behavior that was captured on video and that was most recently alleged. We spend a good deal of time educating our student-athletes about appropriate behavior and their responsibilities as representatives of Florida State. The majority of our players are exemplary, but clearly we must place an even stronger emphasis on this, and I personally promise we will.

“I remain committed to educating our young men and holding them accountable for their actions.